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White Christmas (1954)
Studio executives summary / pitch

OK, Irving Berlin has this song which is awesome, come on, let's put on a show!

Short plot summary

Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) saves the life of Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) in Second World War. They become a successful singing act after the war ends.

Their commanding officer General Thomas F. Waverly (Dean Jagger) has trouble finding a new job after the war. Phil and Bob are approached to help by two sisters Betty Haynes (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera Ellen) who may, or may not, have the hots for our dapper heroes...

Rating
PG: Contains moments of twinkly snow, singin' by the fireside, warm cockles throughout. War time march advisory, bombs going off at open air musical event by the front line. The bright festive reds in this movie may not be suitable for bulls.
What our panel of critics thought

"The reds and whites are stunning. Christmas was never the same after this movie."

"Goodness me! It makes me want to decorate up a tree, and it's only March."

"Danny Kaye is such a spunky fellow. Bravo!"

"Not a dry eye, nose or leg in the house!"

"The great thing with these war era musicals is the gritty humour in them. Stunningly superb, not as funny as Singin in the Rain, but very colourful."

"This movie is not recommended for those with a red colour blindness."

Please tell me the ending

After a number of (annoying) misunderstandings, Wallace and Davis' honourable motives for putting on a show for the General become clear. The old curmudgeon initially refuses to come down in his uniform, but he eventually does and is lead into the ballroom by his granddaughter not knowing what is in store.

There, in the dark (boo!), is his old unit (boohoo!) who sing the song ('We'll follow the old man') we last saw them singing in a show during the war. (Sssttiicctt!). Grab yer hankies, it's a howler! (Ooooeeeeeiiiiiiiii yo ho ho)

Justify this movie's existence in the classic strand. From theVoiceof Reason.com's classically trained Veritable Cornucopia

Oh! what a cockle warmer this movie is, and has been since it's first airing on the seasonal big screen in 1954. A nicely cynical, at times, screenplay leads us round the houses, and musical ditties, inexorably to that final belting-out of the White Christmas standard that has enchanted many a festivitide since.

The movie will mean most to those who remember the second world war. For those of us young'ens, or those without a military fetish, the war references are somewhat over our heads. This musical is from a more cynical time, a harder time, when the world still remembered being at war.

Bing Crosby (stunning voice) and Danny Kaye together are superb, as is the screenplay which gives them some zippy dialogue, and their chemistry is fantastic - Watch when they perform the mimed 'Sisters' song, the Kaye character hits the Crosby character in the chest with his feather fan, Crosby seems to be taken by surprise and laughs, surely they rehearsed this beforehand? Wonderful either way.

For the ultimate all time greatest musical movie of all time see Singin in the rain, for a shot of pure Christmas there are few better movies than this one.

Quotable quote (real)

"I'm dreaming of a White Christmas."

"You can have any room in the hotel including mine."

"Everyone has an angle."

"How much is Wow?" "Right between Ouch and Ping!"

"How do you stop a dog from biting you on Monday?" "You shoot the dog on Sunday."

What snack should I eat while watching this movie?

Mince pies, brandy sauce, sherry, brandy, leg of reindeer...

Could this movie be improved with more straw boaters and dancey canes?

The Kaye/Crosby numbers are, presumably, pure vaudeville (presumably as we are too young to know).

Erhm, this movie is very Christmasey, can I watch it at any other time in the year?

Probably best to only watch this once the Christmas decorations appear in the shops, so not much before July then...

I think I may be Jewish, is this movie suitable for me?

Yes of course, we can't ever remember Jesus wearing a Father Christmas outfit anyway...

I think I may be living in Australia and, of course, Christmas day is in the middle of our summer. Can I still watch this movie?

Only watch this movie in Australia with the air conditioning on full so you can sit watching it in woollen hats and scarfs.

Other comments

A brilliant, colourful, second world war era Christmas show stopper. A nicely cynical screenplay with the Crosby character refreshingly grumpy.

Date of Review

September 14, 2004

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